THE following is a copy of a letter I have sent to Mark Harper MP.
'I am writing to ask whether you can put pressure on the electricity supply company to do something about the inadequate and unstable supply to Lydbrook. Last evening we endured yet another power interruption for well over an hour from 5.30pm.
'According to the company this was due to an "overhead line surge." I am not sure quite what they meant by this. Is it an overload of electricity through the line, in which case it is due to their incompetence? Or, is it a surge in demand? Any child would know that at the time when people are coming home from work and wanting food others, mainly elderly, in this village, need lighting and heating, so there would be an increase in demand. If that was the reason it is again incompetence.
'I have lived here for over 25 years now and cannot remember a time when we have suffered so many severe interruptions as frequently as those we have endured since the start of the autumn.
'It also appears that the control centre do not know what is going on as they were stating yesterday that an area was affected where we could plainly see that the lights were still shining and there was a glow in the sky from the estate just over the hill.
'I appreciate that we are at the extreme edge of the supply area but with the companies making such vast profits they surely have an obligation to ensure an adequate and stable supply.' – Ray Osborne, central Lydbrook.